Nearly all primate species are globally threatened. Conservation approaches need to focus on local people and users of resources from the habitats of the apes. Students worldwide should become aware of the context and relationships in school, and they should change their usage and behaviour as the ultimate goals. This study explored the understanding and motivation of adolescents in German secondary schools (grades 5 and 6) introduced to out-of-school lessons in a zoo education program in comparison to a school-based program or no instruction. We developed 2 educational programs to raise awareness and concern for the conservation of primates: one was carried out in the local zoo; the other at workstations in public schools. Students (N = 1,013) participated in the study based on a 2?×?2 factorial design-instruction and place. Students from the zoo education program demonstrated higher content and affective achievement than students from the school-based and control programs; a combination of both programs did not lead to higher scores in the tests after the program. Learning in zoo school had a sustained influence on retention. Interest was higher in the zoo-based programs while perceived choice was higher in the school-based program.